1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to digital signal processing, debugging or fault analysis systems, methods, and program products. More particularly, the invention relates to scoping of real time signals of remote communication system over a computer network: systems, methods & program products
2. Description of Prior Art
The communication/data processing software, which runs on today's communication systems, is extremely complicated. Thus, it demands extensive debugging and analysis capabilities such as probing and scoping (graphically displaying) any real time signals/variables inside a digital signal processor (DSP) and/or communication systems. The prior art discloses techniques for probing (scoping) real time signals in DSP/Communication systems without using the traditional logic analyzer. However, the DSP/communication system being analyzed must be locally attached to (or embedded inside) the controller (normally a PC) which the developer uses for debugging and analysis. Due to the worldwide exploding Internet access, these extremely complicated communication systems are widely deployed all over the world. When problems arise in the field, it's very likely that the problems may only be reproducible at a specific location due to the specific transmission line/system condition, which cause the problems. Traditionally, a developer will have to travel physically to the location to do the analysis when such line/system dependent problems arise.
What is needed in the art is a technique for performing scoping of real time signals of remote communication systems over a computer network. Such scoping should allow the code developer to do extensive real time diagnostics on any remote target communication system worldwide without the need of travelling to the physical location. Remote scoping is extremely valuable for resolving complicated field problems. A real time software scope can be activated remotely by putting a real time probe into a location in the DSP code on the target system. The developer can view the graphic display of the signals remotely in real time with the target system in normal operation.
Prior art related to remote scoping of communication systems includes:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,022 issued May 27, 1997 discloses a multi-media computer diagnostic system for fault isolation in a multi-tasking hard, real-time task environment. Hard, real-time multi-tasking operations, particularly those unique to signal processing tasks may be monitored without creating a task processing overload and without delaying the results beyond hard, real-time task deadlines by insertion of a branch instruction in the task execution instructions being examined which cause execution of the task to branch to a diagnostic program. The diagnostic program executes a diagnostic instruction set and captures one or more digital samples characteristic of the operation of the hard, real-time task at the point in its program execution where the branch instruction was located. The digital data samples so obtained may be queued and graphically plotted on the screen of a display associated with the computer system to generate a graphical representation of the performance of the algorithm or signal processing task under examination in order to quickly isolate task malfunctions without having to review a mass of digital data samples. Alternatively, pre-selected samples may be injected into the task execution by loading task registers with predetermined data by executing a branch to a diagnostic function, which inserts the samples.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,049 issued May 13, 1997 discloses a method of remote debugging comprises a first computer system that communicates with a second computer using a network connection. The first computer system controls the remote debugging and comprises a first operating system. The second computer system comprises a second operating system and software being tested. User input, in the form of debug commands, is received using a remote debugger in the first computer system to control the remote debugging session. The remote debugger translates a debug command into messages that are sent from the first computer system to the second computer system. The messages correspond to tasks that the target computer system performs to complete the debug command. During debugging, the target computer system transitions between polling or stopped mode and interrupt-driven mode by transitioning both the target operating system and network hardware in the target computer system that interfaces with the network
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,039 issued Jul. 13, 1993 discloses a source-level run-time software code debugging instrument includes a target access probe (TAP) and a communications adapter that process emulation commands provided by source-level debugging software operating on a host computer. The TAP includes a TAP CPU that receives target CPU input signals and delivers target CPU output signals for controlling the execution of software code by the target circuit in accordance with command signals provided by the host computer. The TAP also includes a programmable logic cell array and a RAM. The TAP logic cell array routes command and data signals to and from the TAP CPU, and the RAM stores an in-circuit emulation program used by the TAP to operate the target circuit. The adapter is physically separate from the TAP and provides an interface between the host computer and the TAP. The adapter includes a programmable logic cell array and an EPROM. The adapter logic cell array routes command and data signals to and from the adapter, and the EPROM stores the commands for configuring the signal paths within the TAP and adapter logic cell arrays and stores the TAP emulation program. A flat cable assembly provides a high-speed signal communications link between the TAP and the adapter. The TAP uses certain microprocessor signal features and source-level debugging software that runs on the host computer to provide a software engineer with a fully transparent window into the internal functioning of the TAP CPU while executing code in the target circuit environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,744 issued Nov. 30, 1999 discloses an interactive graphical software tool is provided that can be used to report the configuration data (i.e., the state of the various configuration bits) in a programmed device as well as to probe and stimulate circuits in the programmed device. A graphical or textual representation of the configuration data can be displayed. When used with a programmable device having addressable flip-flops, such as a member of the Xilinx XC6200 family, one embodiment of the invention can change the state of any addressable flip-flop in the configured device. The graphical tool of the invention is preferably implemented using a high level programming language such as Java and features a graphical point and click user interface, remote access to hardware, and symbolic debug capability. According to another aspect of the invention, data can be written into a programmable device using an interactive software tool and a hardware device designed to interface with the programmable device. The software tool can optionally access the hardware device via a network server, thereby enabling remote configuration of the programmable device.
None of the prior art describes or suggests a system for scoping of real time signals of remote communication systems and related software via a network, the system guaranteeing that scoping data packets will not exceed an allocated network bandwidth, and combating the loss of scope data packets due to “Best Effort” network transport behavior to achieve a meaningful display of real time signals in the presence of packet loss.